So there I was, adding dirt to a potted plant in our bathroom...

Let me set the scene. 

Earlier this evening, I was minding my business, adding potting soil to two potted plants in our bathroom. It's a slow night around here, so Steve was watching. 

Neither of us has any business taking care of potted plants, but last year, we had two major water related disasters in our home - fodder for future blog posts, I think. 

The first major disaster forced us to have the hardwood floors on the whole first floor of our house refinished. 

(Lesson learned: It's a good idea to check the hose that connects your refrigerator to the water supply spigot every once in a while. Those hoses can wear down and water leaks can happen. And if you don't move your refrigerator often, those leaks can go undetected for extended periods of time...)

Thanks be to God for homeowners insurance. We paid our $1,000 deductible and had $16,000 worth of repair work done. That work included packing up everything on the first floor - the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, the family room, the laundry room, the pantry, two closets, the furniture, the lamps, every appliance that wasn't "built in" - and moving it all. Everything ended up either up on the second floor of our house or in a pod out on our driveway. And then we had to move out of our house for twelve days so that the floors could be repaired, sanded, stained, and then the furniture could be brought back into the house. 

(Confession: there are some things that have not yet made their way back down to the first floor. I've gotten really good at picking Zoom and Google Meets backgrounds to hide the still-displaced boxes and baskets. Go ahead and judge me if you wish. I can take it.)

The floors look magnificent now. 
But it was a lot of work. 

One of the things that was brought upstairs was Kristiana's indoor plant collection. We put two small tables with six plants on them into our bathtub. Cuz who takes baths anymore? I haven't taken a bath in more than fifteen years.

Let me clarify that - I take showers (fairly) regularly, but baths are not on my dance card. I actually find the entire "bath" thing a little repulsive. 

Again, fodder for another blog...

Anyway, back to tonight's episode of adventures in our neck of the woods. 

We put the plants in our bathroom roughly a year ago - and they are among the things that haven't made it back downstairs yet. As it turns out, the bathroom isn't a bad place for them. It would appear that daily sunlight and water are good for plants. Who knew? 

I am proud to report that three of the six plants have survived an entire year in our care, although one of those three is struggling more than the other two. But I count the presence of any green leaves as a win - and there are at least five green leaves hanging on for dear life. 

While some of you plant lovers are shaking your heads at the dismal failure rate, we are congratulating ourselves on the awesome survival rate. 

The two plants that are clearly still with us have begun to lean precariously in opposite directions due to the weight of the leaves and new growth. So I asked Steve if he could bring some potting soil upstairs for me to add to the pots - with the hope that the additional soil would brace the stalks and keep the plants upright. 

Again, if you are a plant lover and are shaking your head in dismay at my terrible logic, please feel free to share your counsel. We are all ears and brown thumbs. Well, that's not a fair assessment. Nor should I be using that terminology as a criticism. After all, I have brown thumbs even when I'm not killing houseplants. 

So there I was, adding dirt to a potted plant in our bathroom, when I saw something move outside the bathroom window. 

WHEN MY BRAIN REGISTERED WHAT MY EYES WERE SEEING, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A RACCOON ON OUR SECOND FLOOR BATHROOM WINDOW SILL STARING IN AT US!!! 

It was watching me put dirt in the plant. Following my every move with its beady eyes.
Like he was watching television - and we were the show.
Curious. Attentive. Unconcerned. Unbothered. Unafraid. 

Steve pulled out his camera and captured a video of the shenanigans. 

Please pardon my colorful language. I was caught off guard BY THE RACCOON ON OUR SECOND FLOOR BATHROOM WINDOW SILL STARING IN AT US!!! 

If you watch closely, you can see it walking back and forth across the window sill just before I open the blinds. It was truly freaky to see. I kept thinking, "What am I seeing right now? Is that really a raccoon outside of our window? Watching US?" The answer was clear: "Yes, Gail, a raccoon is staring into your bathroom window right now!" 

The world is on fire. Life is being pummeled out of innocent young Black men for no good reason. War rages in Ukraine. Immigrants are on the move. Kanswer still sucks. Both my mother and my mother-in-law are recovering from Covid. Because all of that is true, I was planning to write something more serious as a blog post tonight, but that raccoon appeared and blew our minds. So I figured that maybe we all needed a laugh.  

I hope and pray that the only place I see that raccoon is out there on the window sill. Because I sure as hell will NOT be laughing if I see it anywhere inside our house. 

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. 
On the world, on us, and on that raccoon. 

Check out this view of his little furry face. Right there! HE WAS RIGHT THERE!!!